- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
One-time Aston Villa youngster Callum O’Hare could be handed a second go at the Premier League with Burnley but Southampton and Leicester City have both made offers for the Coventry City star too.
HITC Football understands that, with just a week left in the January transfer window, play-off chasing Coventry are facing an almighty battle hanging onto one of the most talented footballers in England’s second tier.
We have been told that Burnley have made an offer to bring Callum O’Hare – who learned his trade at Aston Villa before leaving in 2020 – back to the Premier League. Leicester City and Southampton, placed first and third in the Championship at present, have submitted bids of their own, with O’Hare yet to sign a new contract at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
The 25-year-old’s current deal expires this summer.
Burnley return for Coventry City star Callum O’Hare
O’Hare, who was often compared to Jack Grealish at Villa Park due to his elegant footwork and defence-splitting capabilities, missed the first few months of this season with injury. But he is certainly making up for lost time now.
He’s scored five league goals since early December. Two of those came against one of his January suitors, Coventry coming from behind to beat ten-man Leicester a fortnight ago. HITC understands that Leicester have also held talks to bring in Stefano Sensi from Inter Milan. It remains to be seen if O’Hare is viewed as an alternative to, or something they want to sign alongside, the 2021 Serie A champion.
Kompany thinks he’s ‘great’
Burnley, meanwhile, are long-time admirers of O’Hare.
“There were a queue of clubs interested in Callum O’Hare,” Clarets boss Vincent Kompany said back in 2022, Burnley’s hopes dashed after the playmaker suffered a serious hamstring injury.
“That’s what happens with good players.”
Kompany described O’Hare as a ‘great’ talent at the time, insisting that the Solihul-born playmaker would be a potentially inspired addition to the Burnley squad (Lancs Live).
A year-and-a-half on, O’Hare is threatening to take his game to a whole new level, none other than Grealish himself paying tribute to a typically ‘class’ display as the Villa graduate netted twice against old rivals Birmingham City before Christmas.
Coventry bounced back after selling top scorer Viktor Gyokeres to Sporting Lisbon. Losing O’Hare a few months later, however, could devastate their promotion chances.
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